by Piper Stone
His guttural laugh was my reward. “Maybe I should just walk away and leave you like this. Would you like that, baby girl?”
“You do and I will hunt you down.”
“Only if you can free yourself, which I doubt. I’ll send someone in a day or so.”
I bucked my hips as my answer, wriggling back and forth.
“You are a tease and very tempting,” he growled. “I don’t know.”
“You said you were going to fuck me.”
“I’ve changed my mind.”
“Don’t you dare!”
“Then ask me nicely. Tell me what you want,” he commanded.
I had to swallow twice before I could answer. “Fuck me. Please, fuck me.”
“Not nice enough. Manners and respect.”
I jerked as hard as I could on the bindings, grateful the dogs were far too exhausted to pay any attention. “Please, sir, will you fuck me?”
Mustang shifted back and forth. Then his grip on my hips became even firmer. “Yes, I think I will.” When he slammed his cock into me, the force ripping away my breath, stars floated in front of my eyes.
“Oh. Oh. Yes. Yes!” The man filled me completely, his cock throbbing against my aching muscles.
His breath sounds skipping, he growled as he fucked me, driving in brutal and fast thrusts. He was taking what he believed belonged to him, enjoying every minute of complete control.
I had difficulty breathing, the continued ache from my reddened bottom heightened by his massive body slicing against mine.
“Uh. Uh. Uh. Uh.” The guttural sounds were the only ones I could make, my heart hammering so hard against my chest. I kept my eyes closed, surrendering in a way I never would have only weeks before. He’d not only broken through my defenses, he’d tossed out every layer, subjecting me to his complete dominance. I was entranced by the moment, a smile remaining on my fact.
He pumped harder, using both his hands to split me wide open. I was yanked to the brink of one wicked orgasm, my entire body quivering. I clenched my fists, panting like some crazed dog. “Yes. Please. Um…” When he suddenly slowed down, shifting back and forth, I could tell I’d murmured something, but for the life of me had no idea what.
“Do you want to come?” he asked gruffly.
“Uh-huh.” I was exhausted, every muscle in my body straining, begging for release.
“Then ask me nicely.”
What did the bastard think he was doing? “Can I come?”
Crack.
The hard single smack across my backside forced me to yelp. “Please, may I come, sir?”
“Better. I can see this is going to take a significant amount of time.” He pulled his cock free, leaving only the tip inside. “I’ll grant it.”
I could rip out his eyeballs for tormenting me. The second he started to pump in wild and crazed abandon, his husky sounds mixing with my ragged pants, there was no way I could hold back. Almost instantly an orgasm shot through me, pushing me like a bottle rocket straight into nirvana. “Yes… Yes!”
He refused to stop, driving in the same brutal manner as before. One climax flew into a second, the giant blue wave like a spinning sea of ocean current. This time, my scream was bedraggled, the crazy sensations bursting into every cell and muscle. The tingling refused to stop for at least two minutes and when it did, I fell into utter exhaustion, simply trying to learn how to breathe again.
“You’re even more beautiful when you come, your skin shimmering,” he whispered yet every word was still as authoritative as before, only more sensual. He took his time brushing his fingers over my skin, lulling me into a moment of pure bliss. “But bad girls get fucked in the ass.”
My eyes opening wide, my body tensed all over again as he pressed the tip of his cock up and down the crack of my ass. I clawed the edge of the island, trying desperately to push up. Even my legs kicked out before he planted them as wide as possible once again before positioning his cockhead just inside my dark hole.
“Relax, baby girl. I’m going to make you feel real good.” He methodically pushed his cock past my tight ring of muscle.
“Oh, God. Oh…” I fisted then flexed both hands, the pain rushing down the back of my legs. When he shoved the last couple of inches inside, I threw my head back and wailed.
“I love how damn tight you are. So freaking hot.” He stopped moving altogether for at least ten seconds before pulling almost all the way out. Then he plunged the entire length deep inside once. Twice. Three times. With every savage plunge, he growled, becoming the true beast he was.
I could only hold on for the ride, trying my best to relax my muscles until the pain began to subside, morphing into another moment of dirty yet fulfilling ecstasy. Within seconds, I was trying to meet every hard thrust with one of my own, our collective sounds primal. We were nothing but beasts in the wild mating. And I loved every minute of it.
“Yes. So good. So… damn… good.” His voice was almost unrecognizable, his deep baritone scattering across me like a warm breeze.
As I fell into his rhythm, no longer bothering to try to think or focus, I could tell he was close to coming. I bit back a smile as I squeezed my muscles, relishing the sound of his husky roar. He erupted deep inside, filling me with his seed. The moment he did, a single crazy and surreal thought entered my mind, one that left me shaking for an entirely different reason.
I could fall head over heels for this man.
This cowboy.
This Marine.
This… brute.
And it scared me to death.
Chapter 12
Mustang
Snow.
The single light over the front door barely did enough to illuminate the falling and drifting snow, but I knew what to expect. The storm could bring a potential of at least a foot, maybe more. While I’d always enjoyed a snowstorm, this one merely ate at my craw. I searched the darkness with my flashlight as I walked closer to the bank of trees, making certain one of the assholes hadn’t decided to come back.
As if I could actually see a damn thing in the blinding pellets. After a full minute, I shoved the flashlight into my pocket, taking a second to make certain my gun had remained in position. I refused to take any chances. Not now.
Not with the woman I…
Great. Fuck me. I cared far too much for her, even after our less than stellar interactions. She’d fired up more than just my cock on several occasions.
My nerves.
My anger.
My… heart.
I grumbled under my breath as I moved toward the massive woodpile, grabbing another stack. If it hadn’t been for the assholes, the night would seem almost normal, as if I really knew what that meant. I’d never lived on my own before enlisting, the quarters at basecamp and overseas always shared.
The cabin I’d rented was almost too much real estate for me, although it was just as small as the quaint cottage belonging to Danni. Hell, I didn’t need much anyway. I thumped onto the porch, happy to hear two solid barks coming from inside. I was also forced to admit that I’d grown fond of both dogs, especially Rattler. He was… well, he was worth getting to know.
When I closed the door behind me, Rattler came to visit first and I could tell by the look in Danni’s eyes that she was both pleased as well as still concerned. That was her way. The ultimate animal lover.
“Hiya, buddy,” I said before heading toward the hearth. I noticed a file folder had been placed on the other side of the hearth. She had been a busy girl.
She’d risen onto her knees, holding her arms out as if she could catch the pup from a fall.
“He’s fine, Danni. Stop worrying. Both of them are going to be just fine.”
“I’m going to worry,” she said before half laughing. “Don’t say it.”
I shook my head before placing the majority of pieces of wood on the hearth, tossing a couple onto the fire. She eased down, reaching out to pet both the pups as I tended to the fire. When they curled in front of her l
egs, I grabbed my glass of wine and retreated to the chair, studying her intently. I’d been patient as we’d fed the dogs and grabbed a snack, but I was finished with her stalling tactics.
“Is the car yours?” I asked as nonchalantly as possible.
“That’s my baby. The truck is for work.”
“And what you did was stupid as hell.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t know how many times you want me to say it,” she said in a partial whisper.
I took a sip of the wine, my eyes never leaving her. “Then trust me enough to tell me the entire story.”
Inhaling, she crossed her legs, staring into the fire. A full minute passed. “Here’s exactly what happened, Mustang. I’m going to try not to leave anything out, but I do need to believe that you’re going to trust that I will tell you the truth. Can you do that?”
“You have no reason to lie to me. Do you?”
Sighing, she shot me a harsh glare then grabbed her wine. “I’d been here barely a week when I got a call in the middle of the night to help an injured steer. I have no idea how the person, who refused to give his name, found my clinic, but I felt obligated to go. The steer’s leg had been severely injured. Could have been an animal attack, but I wasn’t certain. I didn’t notice until I was leaving that the place seemed off. While there were at least six other animals in the barn, the entire situation seemed odd to me.”
“That doesn’t necessary mean anything. Sometimes ranchers will separate the livestock they’ve sold out of a lot. Maybe the rancher was merely terrified that the injured steer would create an issue.” Although what she was telling me did seem strange. “Did you see anyone else?”
“No. He met me at the entrance to the ranch and drove me to the barn, which was pretty close to the road. Granted it was dark, but I could swear the place was abandoned.”
“Again, just depending on the ranch, there could be two or more entrances. Big Meadow has three access points, although the one you came in is the main road.”
“I get that and some Robert Cooper used to own the place, someone I’ve never heard of. I don’t think I would have thought too much more about it except I also received a phone call from an investment firm asking if I wanted to consider being their personal veterinarian.”
“Name?” Cooper. The name sounded familiar, but I wasn’t certain from where.
“RH Holdings.”
Another name that didn’t ring a bell, but I made mental note. “I take it you declined.”
“Yes, and again, I thought maybe since I was new, perhaps that was the reason for the call, maybe even since Dr. Forester was no longer one of the local vets. However, when I mentioned it to a friend of mine, she told me that there’d been some issues, so I read some articles, found out auctions have been an issue and decided that I’d look around.”
“But you threw around accusations.”
“I know. I’d made a few phone calls, to other clinics and even the sheriff’s office. After that, another threatening phone call. I only planned on taking pictures when right off the bat, one of cowboys tried to throw me out.”
If I had to make a guess, I’d say that person was the asshole who’d been following her. I shook my head, rubbing my jaw. “Why did you come to the ranch? Because you met me at the auction?”
“No, but I wish it was that simple. After the auction, I received another anonymous phone call saying plainly that Big Meadow was the perpetrator. That if I wanted to point fingers, I should do so where there were real issues.”
“Interesting. There was something about my truck that troubled you. What?”
Shrugging, she took a sip of wine. “There was a truck following me after the auction, that same one that basically ran me off the road before the group of assholes arrived at my doorstep. A black Ram with tinted windows.”
“Did you catch the license plate?”
“No. But I did take a picture of it with my camera.”
“Where’s your camera?”
“In the other room. I’ll get it.”
When she handed it to me, the picture was clear but with no way to see the plate. I scrolled through some of the other pictures, realizing that she’d captured several of the ranchers up close and personal, including the man who’d followed her. Her photographs might come in handy. “Later, you’re going to email that to me, Danni. While the truck isn’t unusual, someone might recognize it. It’s just about time to go to the sheriff. I’m finished with playing games here.”
“I understand.”
“Why did you leave the house today against my orders? I know there’s a reason.”
Danni glanced at the folder. “My friend called again and said she wanted to provide me with important information, which surprised me since she’d tried to push me away from doing anything drastic that last time I talked to her.”
“What’s in the folder, Danni?”
She fidgeted, placing her hand on the top, running her finger aimlessly back and forth. “It would seem the holding company is made up of several ranches, three of them out of state. From what my friend found, there are questions being raised by the FBI already, concern about stolen cattle. She wanted me to have the information.”
“And I suppose you told her about me.”
After wrinkling her nose, she held out the file. Even in the warm glow of light, I could see a hint of embarrassment crossing her face as she smiled shyly. “Yes. The truth is I felt something for you the second I met you. Anyway, she’s the one who told me right after the auction that you were dangerous.”
What the hell?
“Out of curiosity. What’s her name?”
“Sandra Ellis. She’s the only girl from living here before that I’ve reached out to or even wanted to.”
Initially, the name didn’t ring a bell. Then I couldn’t help but laugh. “I know her, at least I did.”
“I thought you did since you attempted to steal a couple of her father’s horses.”
While her words weren’t exactly accusatory, I could certainly see why she’d question placing any trust in me. “Yep, I did, but did she tell you why?”
“No, just said you were a bad boy growing up.”
“Yeah, I was. I took the two horses because she and I were going to run away together but we were caught.” I could see the stunned look on her face then a smile slowly erupting.
“You know, I remembered her talking about one hot boy when we were younger, but she never mentioned names. It used to piss me off that she didn’t trust me enough. I left town shortly after that, I think.”
“She didn’t mention any names because I didn’t come from the same upper echelon family as she did. At the time, my parents owned a small ranch, not worthy of the huge estate her father owned.”
She shifted closer, narrowing her eyes. “I thought your dad owned a mechanic’s shop?”
“He does now.” I realized karma was making a play to kick my ass all over again. “My dad got some bad advice, investing in a company that was fraudulent, much like what you’re describing.”
“What?”
“My family lost enough that they had to sell the ranch. Fortunately, my uncle let him come in on the shop after that, but losing the ranch broke my dad’s heart. Nearly broke mine too. Never caught the asshole who did it either and my father refused to talk about what had happened. There were zero monies recovered for a number of investors.”
“That’s terrible. Then you do understand.”
I took a sip of wine, realizing it wasn’t as difficult as I’d thought. “Oh, I get it. We went from living in a nice house to an apartment over my uncle’s garage. I started getting into serious trouble after that. That’s why Sandra’s father never wanted his baby girl to be with the town troublemaker. He even tried to pay me off. That’s when she and I concocted a plan to get away. Hell, we were barely fifteen, had no driver’s license. Stealing the horses seemed to be a good idea at the time.”
“And he never pressed charges.”
“That’s because I threatened to tell everyone that he tried to bribe me.” I couldn’t help but grin.
“You were a bad boy.”
“Card carrying,” I said, still grinning.
Danni shifted her gaze toward the fire. “I wonder why she never told me the truth.”
“Maybe because she’d lied to everyone, including her father about what had happened. Guilt is a terrible thing to hang around your neck. However, that was a long time ago and I’m not the same person.” I eyed the file before getting up and grabbing it, easing the glass onto the coffee table. I remained standing, moving closer to the fire for the light. As I flipped through the pages, every muscle in my body tensed. Listed as one of the companies that were a part of RH Holdings was Big Meadow. Shit. While the other names of the various companies meant nothing to me, the news was something that Hawk needed to hear.
I closed the file, handing it back to her and walking toward the window. “No wonder you believed we were all doing something illegal at the ranch.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t believe it now, but I have no idea what to think other than someone is out to get you and the ranch. Just so you know, I also had a warning earlier today from the same guy who begged me to come and look at the steer in the middle of the night. He warned me that it’s dangerous. I got the feeling he was riddled with guilt. There is a connection that we’re missing.”
Hell, yes, there was.
While nothing made any more sense than it had earlier, I wasn’t certain I was the person to put together the pieces. Snarling, I yanked out my phone, finding it difficult to control my anger.
“What’s wrong, Mustang? Did you think of something?”
“I need to make a phone call.” As soon as I glanced at the screen, I hissed. “No fucking reception. Damn it!”
“You suspect something, don’t you?”
“Maybe, but what I know for certain is that someone is trying to frame Big Meadow. That shit isn’t going to fly.”